


The Tucker Bunch

by Blueberryshortcake



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Background Palomo/Jensen, Gen, Harmony represents Tucker's chorus children, Middle Child Junior, Palomo as Tucker's eldest son, family au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 03:09:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14844518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueberryshortcake/pseuds/Blueberryshortcake
Summary: There are days when he has his hands full.





	The Tucker Bunch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Southicut](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Southicut).



> Souticut said: “I will give up my left leg for a modern au fic where tucker is trying his best to be a single father of 3 (palomo, junior, all his children on chorus as a baby girl named harmony)” 
> 
> You owe me a leg (just kidding). Hope it’s okay.

“She won’t… stop,” Tucker’s head was on the table one hand still plaintively jingling keys in front of Harmony. His baby girl was light of his life, apple of his eye, but she wouldn’t. Stop. Crying. “And Junior has a basketball practice and CHARLES PALOMO TUCKER says he’s ‘studying’ with Katie Jensen so he can’t take him. I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS CHARLES I INVENTED IT.”

Wash leaned on the wall, “You invented studying?”

“I invented pretending to study so that I could pick up chicks,” Tucker replied. Speaking of picking up chicks… he scooped Harmony flying her through the air.

“Heeey, it’s okay! You’re fed, and dry, and clean so why?… is this revenge?”

“Why would the baby want revenge on you exactly?” Wash asked.

“Split peas dude,” Tucker said with a straight face. Harmony’s screams went up a bit in pitch. The men both winced.

Junior came into the room a huge frown on his face. He tugged demandingly at his Father’s shirt hem. Fifth grade and he was almost Tucker’s height. He was still mostly non-verbal with strange adults around, even Wash who was around fairly often hadn’t heard him speak more than a word at a time.

“I know kiddo, But your sister is having a rough time and your BIG BROTHER is no HELP.” Tucker yelled accusingly upstairs.

Junior crossed his arms defensively. Damn it he needed to do better. Basketball meant so much to Junior, and him playing with other kids was so good for him and–

“Can I help?” Wash offered.

Junior stiffened.

“No,” Tucker said immediately. “It’s fine, we’ll figure it out. Give me ten minutes okay, Junior?”

Junior nodded and quickly exited the room.

“Sorry, man, he’s… him in a car with a stranger–shhshhshh it’s okay Harmony– isn’t a good idea. I mean… you’re not a stranger but, I don’t want him feeling trapped–”

“It’s okay,” Wash waved his apologies away, “I get it.”

“Junior was like this too–actually I think Junior was possessed as a baby… maybe all babies are possessed.”

“It would explain the projectile vomit,” Wash quipped. “Listen if you need anything–”

Tucker pushed Harmony into his arms. Wash, a trained U.S. special Ops Marine looked terrified.

“UH–” He squeaked.

“Just like, five minutes, I need to talk to Charlie. Sing, she likes singing. She’s gonna make a career out of it one day with the pipes she has on her.”

“Tucker wai–”

Tucker was already going two at a time up the stairs. He was about the throw open the door dramatically, but then hesitated. He remembered when he was sixteen, Charlie’s age, girl upstairs and Ma not knocking at the worst times. Did he really wanna do that?

And Charlie was sort of a nerd he PROBABLY wasn’t… and Tucker had had the talk with him emphasizing condoms because as much as he adored all three of his children Charlie getting a girl pregnant at sixteen like Tucker did? Well his son could learn from his mistakes. Tucker knows he’s fucking lucky how good Charlie is turning out considering how halfass he was in the beginning there.

He took a deep breath and knocked.

“Charles. Put on pants. I need to come in.”

“DAD!!!” Charlie cried. “Katie’s here!!”

Okay so he wasn’t perfect. Still not as bad as Ma.

He opened the door to his furiously blushing son and a bemused Katie Jensen, who was a bit pink as well. To be fair to the two of them there were books open between them. Actually if Katie could get up Charlie’s math grade that would be a lifesaver–not the time.

“I know you have a study date, Charlie–”

“Not a date–and Palomo! I’m going by Palomo I told you that!”

Right, Palomo. He asked why not Tucker, but of course that’s what everyone calls his (not so) old man, and Palomo makes him sound sophisticated. Or something.

“Fine, Palomo. Your brother needs a ride to practice and the deal was you get the car weekends and I get someone to do all my gophering. Payback time kiddo.”

“But we have a test tomorrow!” Charlie–Palomo protested. “Can’t Mr. Washington drive him?”

“You know he can’t, come on.” Tucker crossed his arm striking a classic Dad pose… that he had actually learned from Sarge, but his son didn’t need to know that. “Harmony isn’t letting up,” (and what if she was sick? She didn’t seem hot… where the hell did he put the thermometer again?).

“But daaaaaad,” Palomo whined.

“It’s okay Palomo,” Katie was obviously getting uncomfortable, “I think we’ve gotten as far as we can tonight.”

“B–” (Bow chicka wow wow ugh reflex) “How about this, you drive your brother and you can give Katie a lift home, and on your way you can get burgers or milkshakes or whatever kids like these days.”

Tucker dug into his already bare wallet.

“Aw yeah! Starbucks!”

Goddamnit Palomo. Tucker switched the ten to a twenty and handed it over. Bribery will get you everywhere… and… it was good to let Palomo be a kid with his little girlfriend… probably being much more mature than his father ever was. “Don’t do anything…Mr. Washington wouldn’t do.”

Palomo snickered, “Okay, thanks Dad. JAY I’M TAKING YOU TO PRACTICE!!”

Tucker grimaced. “You have legs, you can go to him and tell him that? Harmony is…” Wait… what happened to the screaming.

Oh God!

Tucker ran downstairs in full panic, not entirely sure what he had to fear and fearing everything at once.

He skidded to a stop. Wash was still awkwardly holding Tucker’s little girl, but now Junior was there as well. He leaned close to his sister very quietly singing. Tucker felt his chest tighten. He used to sing that to Junior when he was little. Oh no, fuck, he can’t tear up now.

Junior looked up.

Harmony hiccuped, but didn’t start crying again.

“Please take the baby,” Wash requested looking like he had just come back from war. Tucker took her in his arms again kissing her on the head, and then kissing Junior’s head for good measure–and then even Palomo.

“Daaad, Katie’s right there!!”

“You’re never too old for your father’s love Ch–Palomo. Now go on or you’ll make Junior late.”

He patted Junior on the shoulder. Next paycheck everyone’s getting pizza, even Harmony, no more split peas–well that was a lie, but it felt like pizza for everyone was possible.

The kids left, Tucker collapsed on the couch Harmony snug in his arms.

Wash shook his head, “I have no idea how you do it.”

“Me neither dude, me neither. Helps that they’re amazing though.”


End file.
